Latch mechanism



Nov. 29, 1949 D. E. DAVIS LATCH MECHANISM Filed April 28, 1948 grwem ho b Daniel Efiaws Patented Nov. 29, 1949 LATCH MECHANISM Daniel E. Davis, Dallas, Tex., assignor of fiftyeight per cent to Mary Davis Miller Application April 28, 1948, Serial No. 23,7'59

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a latch mechanism and it is an object of the invention to provide a mechanism of this kind which becomes effective upon closing of the closure member with which the mechanism is associated.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a mechanism which becomes efiective or ineffective automatically together with means operated at will for holding the mechanism in eifective adjustment. A still further object of the invention is to provide substantially opposed latch bars for placement on a closure member together with a slidable member operatively engaged with the latch bars to move said bars into locking adjustment upon shifting of the slidable member in one direction by impact at the final closing movement of the closure member.

Another object of the invention is to Provide a latch mechanism comprising substantially opposed latch bars shifted into effective position automatically upon the associated closure member moving into closed position together with means for automatically retracting the latch bars.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination of the several parts of my improved latch mechanism whereby certain advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation illustrating a latch mechanism constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and in effective position for holding the closure member against opening; v

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational View showing the position or adjustment of the mechanism when the closure member is in open position;

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, C denotes the lower portion of a vertically sliding closure member and I, denotes suitable keepers adjacent to the opposite sides of the entrance opening 2 at required locations.

Slidably carried by the inner face of the closure member C at the lower portion thereof, are

the elongated latch bars 3 which, when extended, operatively engage the keepers I to maintain the closure member in closed position.

The latch bars 3, however, are normally maintained in retracted or inoperative positions by a retractile member 4 of requisite tension, and herein disclosed as a coil spring. The member or spring 4 has its extremities operatively connected, as at 5, with the inner end portions of the bars 3. The member or spring 4 is, at all times, under tension to assure the retaining of the bars 3 in fully retracted or ineffective position, except when held against retraction.

The member or spring 4 as herein disclosed is secured, as at 5, to the bars 3 by the pivot bolts which operatively connect the rigid links 6 to the bars 3. The links 6 are normally disposed downwardly in convergence with their lower extremities overlapping and pivotally secured to each other and to the upper end portion of an impact rod 1 by a pivot bolt 8.

The rod I is substantially vertically disposed and at a position substantially midway of the inner ends of the latch bars 3. The rod 1 is also of a length to extend beyond the lower end of the closure C, a distance suflicient to assure the latch bars 3 moving outwardly the required distance to engage the keepers I as the pivoted extremities of the links 6 are moved upwardly as a result of the impact or contact of the outer end of the rod 1 with the bottom or floor surface within or immediately adjacent to the entrance opening 2.

The extent of outward movement of the latch bars 3 is definitely limited by contact of the upper or inner end of the rod I with a stop member 9 extending out from theclosure member C.

The rod I is disposed through suitably positioned guide brackets I I and the extent of downward or outward movement of the rod 1 is determined by contact of the pivoted ends of the links 6, with the inner or uppermost guide bracket I I.

After the latch bars 3 have been extended to engage the keepers I, the bars are held in such effective position by a holding element E, herein disclosed as member I2, of desired length and provided at one end portion with the opposed and outwardly directed trunnions I4 engaging within the bearing members I5, properly placed on the inner face of the closure member C. The bearing members I5 are below the bars 3 with the member I2 midway between the inner ends of the latch bars 3. The member I2 is also of a length to allow the member I2 to be swung upwardly and engage from below the pivoted extremities of the links 6, when the bars 3 are substantially fully extended and thereby hold the bars 3 against retraction under the action of the member or spring 4. However, upon swinging the member [2 outwardly into inoperative position, the member or spring 4 will substantially instantaneously retract the bolts 3 and thus release the closure member C for opening movement. It is believed obvious that the member 12 is to be manually operated and can be so operated atwill.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a latch mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may-beassembled and operated.

I claim:

1. A latch mechanism for placement on a movable closure member comprising opposed latch bars mounted for sliding movement in opposite directions, said bars being effective upon outward movement a retractile member interposed between and operatively engaged with the bars for moving the bars inwardly and to normally maintain said bars in'the inward position, links pivotally connected with the inner extremities of the bars and with each other, said links, when the 'bars are innermost, converging toward the closing margin of the closure member, and means operating by impact as the'closure member moves into closed position for operative coaction with the pivoted extremities of the links to move said links in a direction'to shift the bars outwardly into effective positions.

2. A latch mechanism for placement on a movable closure member'comprising opposed latch bars mounted for sliding movement in opposite directions, said'bars being effective upon outward movement, a retractile member interposed between and operativelyengaged with the bars for moving the bars inwardly an d to normally maintain said bars in the inward position, links pivotally connected withtl'ie inner extremities of the bars and with each other, said links, when the bars are innermost, converging'toward the closing margin of the closure member, a slidable rod, one'extremity 'of the rod being operatively connected withthe pivotallycouple'd convergent movement, a retractile member interposed between and operatively engaged with the bars for moving the bars inwardly and to normally maintain said bars in the inward position, links pivotally connected with the inner extremities of the bars and with each other, said links when the bars are innermost, converging toward the closing margin of the closure member, a slidable rod, one extremity of the rod being operatively connected with the pivotally coupled convergent extremities of the links, the rod upon movement in one direction shifting the bars outwardly into effective positions, said rod being of a length to extend beyond the closing margin of the closure member when the closure member is in open position, and means for limiting the endwise movement of the rod in the said one direction and in a reverse direction.

4. A latch mechanism for placement on a movable closure member comprising opposed latch barsmounted for sliding -movement in opposite directions, said'bars beingeffective upon outward movement, a retractile member interposed between and operatively engaged with the bars for moving the bars'inwardly and to normally maintainsaidbarsin the inward position, links pivotally connected with the inner extremities of the bars and with each other, said links, when the bars are innermost, converging toward the closing margin of the closure member, a slidable rod, one extremity of the-rodbeing operatively connected with the pivotally coupled convergent extremities of thelinks, therod upon movement in one direction shifting the bars outwardly into effective positions, saidrod being of a lengthto extend beyond the closing margin of the closure member when the closure member is in open position, and a holding member for movable mounting on the closure member to operatively engage l the a said pivotally coupled extremities of the links when thebars are in effective position to hold the bars against inward movement into ineffective positions.

DANIEL E. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 932,330 Rotchford s Aug. 24, 1909 2,202,916 Mussa June 4, 1940 2,415,948 Hillenbrand Feb. 18, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 54,984 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1910 

